Worcestershire loanee Bashir equals most expensive over in English first-class cricket

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024Worcestershire 147 for 7 (Libby 61*, J Taylor 2-11, Lawrence 2-27) trail Surrey 490 (Lawrence 175, Smith 86, Sibley 76, Taylor 3-99) by 343 runsShoaib Bashir equalled the most expensive over in the history of English first class cricket while on loan to Worcestershire for the Vitality County Championship encounter with Surrey at ‘Visit Worcestershire New Road.’The England spinner, on loan for a month to Worcestershire from Somerset, conceded 38 runs including five successive sixes to Dan Lawrence.It was a wake-up call for Bashir who in the winter picked up 17 wickets in three Tests in India.Lawrence cleared the boundary with the first five deliveries of the over between long off and wide long on.The next ball went for five wides and then Lawrence took a single off a no ball before last man Dan Worrall failed to score off the eighth delivery.It equalled the 38 struck by Freddie Flintoff off Alex Tudor for Lancashire against Surrey in a Championship match at Old Trafford in 1998.Lawrence went onto to make a career-best 175 before he was last out with the Surrey first-innings total on 490.Worcestershire then slumped to 147 for 7 with only Jake Libby, with a 145-ball half century, offering much resistance as Lawrence’s fine day continued with two wickets.Lawrence surpassed his 161 for Essex – against Surrey in 2015 at the Kia Oval – in only his second first class match.The only other time more runs have been conceded in an over was a Shell Trophy encounter in New Zealand in 1990 when Lee Germon and Roger Ford (Canterbury) took advantage of contrived bowling from Robert Vance (Wellington) and hit 77.Lawrence had a scare in the middle of his sixes blitz when the third was caught by Adam Hose at long on but the Worcestershire batter carried the ball over the boundary rope.Surrey advanced from their overnight 340 for 5 in sedate fashion during the morning session, adding 88 in 29 overs for the loss of three wickets before Lawrence cut loose on the resumption.Worcestershire were without the injured pace bowler, Adam Finch (leg) and Academy player Chris Ellison deputised in the field.Tom Taylor struck in the first over of the day after Surrey had resumed on 340 for 5.Jordan Clark added only a single before he played back and picked out Bashir at midwicket.Lawrence, who had resumed on 91, completed his century in regal style with a cover drive off Taylor for his 14th boundary.Sean Abbott showed plenty of aggression in the chase for a fourth batting point but he paid the price after giving Taylor the charge and was bowled.Gus Atkinson tried to work Bashir to leg and was bowled to give the spinner his second wicket.James Taylor was run out after playing Bashir to third and attempting a second run and Lawrence’s fine knock ended when he was caught at deep backward point off Allison, his 223-ball knock containing six sixes and 16 fours.When Worcestershire batted, Sean Abbott struck with his first delivery after replacing Worrall when Gareth Roderick was caught behind from a delivery which nipped away.Kashif Ali, back in the side after his break from the game, made 17 before being strangled down the leg side off Atkinson at 59 for 2.Rob Jones was undone by a delivery of extra bounce by James Taylor to give Ben Foakes his third catch.Foakes held onto another chance after Hose (10) aimed a drive at a widish delivery from Taylor.Ethan Brookes, in his first Championship appearance for five years, then fell to a sharp catch at first slip by Ollie Pope off Clark at 99 for 5.Matthew Waite played back to Lawrence and was bowled and Tom Taylor departed in similar fashion for a duck.